Nuclear Monster

  • The Nintendo Switch

    Nintendo teased that the NX would get revealed in a short video today and here it is. The device codenamed NX now has an official designation, the Switch, a docking combination of home-console and portable device with a detachable controller that splits off of the main tablet-style unit to become two smaller SNES-style controllers for multiplayer.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5uik5fgIaI

    This is a path that Sony had been going on with the Vita, which was the first major console to bridge handheld and console play. You could remotely play games from a Playstation 4 to the Vita. Some Playstation 4 and Vita games could also be purchased digitally for one device and that would provide players with both versions.

    The Wii-U has not sold well and I don’t imagine many people were going to buy one as a gift later this year, but if anyone were going to they might want to consider waiting for the March release of the Switch. The Switch looks like it’ll run many games that people might have missed out on if they didn’t get a Wii-U like Splatoon and the Wii-U‘s iteration of Mario Kart.

    In comparison to the 3DS, the Switch is a portable that is explicitly designed for and sold to adults and perhaps will not so much replace the 3DS as exist alongside it. You can’t put the Switch in a pocket, the tablet center of the device is too large. Nintendo handhelds have always been a little bit more durable than other companies portables and iPhones, but the Switch looks more fragile than the 3DS and comparable to an iPad in that respect.

    Like the Wii-U and Wii before it, there will be a more traditional Pro controller available for the Switch.

    Nvidia announced that a custom version of their Tegra system is powering the Switch. This will mean it has performance capabilities closer to a high-end tablet than modern x86-based home consoles. While a Tegra-based system will be easier to develop for than previous Nintendo hardware, it will still be more difficult for third party developers to bring Xbox One and Playstation 4 games to this hardware. However, 48 developers, publishers, and middleware providers announced support for the Switch. You can even see Bethesda’s Skyrim in the video above.

  • Nidhogg is a super fun local competitive multiplayer duel of the literal swords and giant-worms-eating-the-winner sense from messhof. Nidhogg 2 looks similar, but has new visuals and audio to look and sound different. It’ll be out in 2017, no platforms or prices have been announced yet.

  • Famicom

    Nintendo of Japan announced the Classic-ized version of the Family Computer today. The  NES Classic Edition was announced way back in July. This miniaturized Famicom also includes 30 games, and will be available in Japan a day before the NES Classic on the tenth of November. The NES is still not up for pre-order, but Amazon Japan does have this Famicom available for pre-order for 5,980 yen, which is about $59 US dollars. It is possible to pre-order with a US payment device and address.

    Here’s the list of games on the classic mini Family Computer:

    • Donkey Kong
    • Mario Brothers
    • Pac-Man
    • Excitebike
    • Balloon Fight
    • Ice Climber
    • Galaga
    • Yie Ar Kung-Fu
    • Super Mario Bros.
    • The Legend of Zelda
    • Atlantis no Nazo
    • Gradius
    • Makai Village
    • Solomon’s Key
    • Metroid
    • Castlevania
    • Adventure of Link
    • Bumping sumo
    • Super Mario Bros. 3
    • Ninja Gaiden
    • Mega Man 2 Mystery of Dr. Wiley
    • River City Ransom
    • Double Dragon: The Revenge
    • Super Tamashito Luo
    • Final Fantasy
    • Dr. Mario
    • Downtown Nekketsu Kshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundkai (a River City Ransom game)
    • Mario Open Golf
    • Super Mario USA
    • Kirby’s Adventure

  • Palmer Luckey responded to the reports of his fiscal and written support of “shitposting” meme wizards by denying the latter and confirming the former.

    Palmer Luckey:

    I am deeply sorry that my actions are negatively impacting the perception of Oculus and its partners.The recent news stories about me do not accurately represent my views.

    Here’s more background: I contributed $10,000 to Nimble America because I thought the organization had fresh ideas on how to communicate with young voters through the use of several billboards. I am a libertarian who has publicly supported Ron Paul and Gary Johnson in the past, and I plan on voting for Gary in this election as well.

    I am committed to the principles of fair play and equal treatment. I did not write the “NimbleRichMan” posts, nor did I delete the account. Reports that I am a founder or employee of Nimble America are false. I don’t have any plans to donate beyond what I have already given to Nimble America.

    Still, my actions were my own and do not represent Oculus. I’m sorry for the impact my actions are having on the community.

    Note that Luckey says he “…did not write the “NimbleRichMan” posts…”
    Here’s Ben Collins, one of the reporters who spoke with Luckey:

    Here’s Gideon Resnick, the other reporter on the original Daily Beast article with one more email from Luckey confirming that he (Luckey) is behind the posts:

    Note the  “…do not accurately represent my views” part of Palmer’s faux-pology.

    Here’s a video Arthur Gies found of Palmer at a Trump rally, talking shit about protesters who don’t like Trump’s bullshit:

  • make-vr-great-again

    Gideon Resnick and Ben Collins writing for The Daily Beast:

    Oculus founder Palmer Luckey financially backed a pro-Trump political organization called Nimble America, a self-described “social welfare 501(c)4 non-profit” in support of the Republican nominee.

    […]

    The 24-year-old told The Daily Beast that he had used the pseudonym “NimbleRichMan” on Reddit with a password given to him by the organization’s founders.

    Nimble America says it’s dedicated to proving that “shitposting is powerful and meme magic is real,” according to the company’s introductory statement, and has taken credit for a billboard its founders say was posted outside of Pittsburgh with a cartoonishly large image of Clinton’s face alongside the words “Too Big to Jail.”

    Here’s a screenshot of one of Palmer’s posts to Reddit using that pseudonym:

    I was initially kind of skeptical about this, hoping it was incorrect in some way. Then a friend linked me to Palmer’s list of Twitter likes, which includes all kinds of Trump bullshit in addition to Nikki Moxxi’s twitter account. Palmer’s girlfriend has posted all kinds of garbage like this:

    screen-shot-2016-09-22-at-5-50-15-pm

    and pro-gamergate bullshit like this:

    screen-shot-2016-09-22-at-5-52-17-pm

    For all of the reasons that virtual reality might fail (low sales, failure to develop compelling software products, etc) I don’t think anyone was expecting to find out that Palmer is just a complete shit.

    I feel bad for anyone working at Oculus who doesn’t support these views, but I don’t have any hope for that organization to disavow them when Oculus’ parent company has Peter Thiel on their board. Thiel wants to start his own offshore lawless Libertarian paradise, spoke at the GOP’s Klan rally national convention and funded secret legal endowments to destroy journalists because they outed him a decade ago and his feelings were hurt.

    The Internet’s Sam Houston found out about this way back in April: